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US20130058924A1 - Hypoxia-related gene signatures for cancer classification - Google Patents

Hypoxia-related gene signatures for cancer classification Download PDF

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US20130058924A1
US20130058924A1 US13/577,095 US201113577095A US2013058924A1 US 20130058924 A1 US20130058924 A1 US 20130058924A1 US 201113577095 A US201113577095 A US 201113577095A US 2013058924 A1 US2013058924 A1 US 2013058924A1
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expression
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cancer
hrgs
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Alexander Gutin
Srikanth Jammulapati
Susanne Wagner
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Myriad Genetics Inc
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Myriad Genetics Inc
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    • C12Q1/00—Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
    • C12Q1/68—Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions involving nucleic acids
    • C12Q1/6876—Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes
    • C12Q1/6883—Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material
    • C12Q1/6886—Nucleic acid products used in the analysis of nucleic acids, e.g. primers or probes for diseases caused by alterations of genetic material for cancer
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
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    • C07K14/00—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof
    • C07K14/435—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans
    • C07K14/46—Peptides having more than 20 amino acids; Gastrins; Somatostatins; Melanotropins; Derivatives thereof from animals; from humans from vertebrates
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    • C12Q2600/00—Oligonucleotides characterized by their use
    • C12Q2600/106—Pharmacogenomics, i.e. genetic variability in individual responses to drugs and drug metabolism
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    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
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    • C12Q2600/00—Oligonucleotides characterized by their use
    • C12Q2600/112—Disease subtyping, staging or classification
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C12—BIOCHEMISTRY; BEER; SPIRITS; WINE; VINEGAR; MICROBIOLOGY; ENZYMOLOGY; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING
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    • C12Q2600/00—Oligonucleotides characterized by their use
    • C12Q2600/118—Prognosis of disease development
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    • C12Q2600/00—Oligonucleotides characterized by their use
    • C12Q2600/158—Expression markers

Definitions

  • the invention generally relates to molecular detection and classification of cancer using particular molecular markers.
  • Cancer is a major public health problem, accounting for nearly one out of every four deaths in the United States. American Cancer Society, Facts and Figures 2010. Patient prognosis generally improves with earlier detection of cancer. Indeed, more readily detectable cancers such as breast cancer have a substantially better survival rate than cancers that are more difficult to detect (e.g., ovarian cancer).
  • the present invention is based in part on the discovery that hypoxia-related genes or HRGs (genes where changes in expression are induced by the cellular condition hypoxia) are particularly powerful genes for classifying cancers (especially lung and colon cancers).
  • a method for determining gene expression in a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon (including colorectal) cancer.
  • the method includes at least the following steps: (1) obtaining a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon (including colorectal) cancer; (2) determining the expression of a panel of genes in said tumor sample including at least 5 HRGs; and (3) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 5 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • at least 50%, at least 75% or at least 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • the invention provides a method of determining gene expression in a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer, comprising: (1) obtaining a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon (including colorectal) cancer; (2) determining the expression levels of at least 5 hypoxia-related genes in said tumor sample; and (3) providing a test value reflecting the overall expression level of said at least 5 hypoxia-related genes in said tumor sample.
  • the determining step comprises: measuring the amount of mRNA in said tumor sample transcribed from each of between 5 and 200 HRGs; and measuring the amount of mRNA of one or more housekeeping genes in said tumor sample.
  • Measuring mRNA may include measuring DNA reverse transcribed from mRNA.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 6 HRGs, or at least 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 HRGs. Preferably, all of the test genes are HRGs. In some embodiments of this and all other aspects of the invention, the plurality of test genes comprises at least 6 HRGs, or at least 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 of the HRGs listed in Table 1 and/or Table 2. In some embodiments the plurality of test genes comprises all the HRGs listed in Table 1 and/or Table 2.
  • a method for determining the prognosis of lung cancer or colon cancer comprises determining in a tumor sample (e.g., from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer), the expression of at least 6, 8 or 10 HRGs, wherein overexpression of said at least 6, 8 or 10 HRGs indicates a poor prognosis or an increased likelihood of recurrence of cancer in the patient.
  • a tumor sample e.g., from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer
  • the tumor sample is from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer.
  • the prognosis method comprises (1) determining in a tumor sample the expression of a panel of genes in said tumor sample including at least 4 or at least 8 HRGs; and (2) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from the panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide the test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or at least 8 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes, and wherein an increased level (e.g., overall) of expression of the plurality of test genes indicates a poor prognosis or a high likelihood of disease progression or recurrence of cancer.
  • At least 50%, at least 75% or at least 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs. In some embodiments, if there is no increase (e.g., overall) in the expression of the test genes, it would indicate a good prognosis or a low likelihood of disease progression or recurrence of cancer in the patient.
  • the prognosis method further includes a step of comparing the test value provided in step (2) above to one or more reference values, and correlating the test value to a risk of cancer progression or risk of cancer recurrence.
  • a step of comparing the test value provided in step (2) above to one or more reference values and correlating the test value to a risk of cancer progression or risk of cancer recurrence.
  • an increased likelihood of poor prognosis is indicated if the test value is greater than the reference value.
  • the present invention also provides a method of treating cancer in a patient, comprising: (1) determining in a tumor sample from a patient the expression of a panel of genes in the tumor sample including at least 4 or at least 8 HRGs; (2) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide the test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or at least 8 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes, wherein an increased level of expression of the plurality of test genes indicates a poor prognosis, and an un-increased level of expression of the plurality of test genes indicates a good prognosis; and recommending, prescribing or administering a treatment regimen or watchful waiting based at least in part on the prognosis provided in step
  • the present invention further provides a diagnostic kit useful in the above methods, the kit generally comprising, in a compartmentalized container, a plurality of oligonucleotides hybridizing to at least 8 test genes (or gene products), wherein less than 10%, 30% or less than 40% of all of the at least 8 test genes are non-HRGs; and one or more oligonucleotides hybridizing to at least one housekeeping gene.
  • the invention provides a diagnostic kit for prognosing cancer in a patient comprising the above components.
  • the invention provides the use of a diagnostic kit comprising the above components for prognosing cancer in a patient.
  • the oligonucleotides can be hybridizing probes for hybridization with the test genes under stringent conditions or primers suitable for PCR amplification of the test genes.
  • the kit consists essentially of, in a compartmentalized container, a first plurality of PCR reaction mixtures for PCR amplification of from 5 or 10 to about 300 test genes, wherein at least 25%, at least 50%, at least 60% or at least 80% of such test genes are HRGs, and wherein each reaction mixture comprises a PCR primer pair for PCR amplifying one of the test genes; and a second plurality of PCR reaction mixtures for PCR amplification of at least one housekeeping gene.
  • the present invention also provides the use of (1) a plurality of oligonucleotides hybridizing to at least 4 or at least 8 HRGs; and (2) one or more oligonucleotides hybridizing to at least one housekeeping gene, for the manufacture of a diagnostic product.
  • the diagnostic product is for determining the expression of the test genes in a tumor sample from a patient, to predict the prognosis of cancer, wherein an increased level of the overall expression of the test genes indicates a poor prognosis or an increased likelihood of recurrence of cancer in the patient, whereas if there is no increase in the overall expression of the test genes, it would indicate a good prognosis or a low likelihood of recurrence of cancer in the patient.
  • the oligonucleotides are PCR primers suitable for PCR amplification of the test genes. In other embodiments, the oligonucleotides are probes hybridizing to the test genes under stringent conditions. In some embodiments, the plurality of oligonucleotides are probes for hybridization under stringent conditions to, or are suitable for PCR amplification of, from 4 to about 300 test genes, at least 50%, 70% or 80% or 90% of the test genes being HRGs.
  • the plurality of oligonucleotides are hybridization probes for, or are suitable for PCR amplification of, from 20 to about 300 test genes, at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 70% or 80% or 90% of the test genes being HRGs.
  • the invention further provides systems related to the above methods of the invention.
  • the invention provides a system for determining gene expression in a tumor sample, comprising: (1) a sample analyzer for determining the expression levels of a panel of genes in a sample including at least 4 HRGs, wherein the sample analyzer contains the sample, mRNA from the sample and expressed from the panel of genes, or DNA reverse transcribed from said mRNA; (2) a first computer program for (a) receiving gene expression data on at least 4 test genes selected from the panel of genes, (b) weighting the determined expression of each of the test genes with a predefined coefficient, and (c) combining the weighted expression to provide a test value, wherein at least 50%, 70%, 80%, or 90% of the at least 4 test genes are HRGs; and optionally (3) a second computer program for comparing the test value to one or more reference values each associated with a predetermined degree of risk of cancer.
  • the combined weight given to the HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%,
  • the invention provides a system for determining gene expression in a tumor sample, comprising: (1) a sample analyzer for determining the expression levels of a panel of genes in a tumor sample including at least 4 HRGs, wherein the sample analyzer contains the tumor sample which is from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer, mRNA expressed from the panel of genes, or DNA reverse transcribed from such mRNA; (2) a first computer program for (a) receiving gene expression data on at least 4 test genes selected from the panel of genes, (b) weighting the determined expression of each of the test genes with a predefined coefficient, and (c) combining the weighted expression to provide a test value, wherein at least 50%, 70%, 80%, or 90% of at least 4 test genes are HRGs; and optionally (3) a second computer program for comparing the test value to one or more reference values each associated with a predetermined degree of risk of cancer recurrence or progression of lung cancer or colon cancer.
  • the system further comprises a display module displaying the comparison between the test value and the one or more reference values, or displaying a result of the comparing step.
  • the combined weight given to the HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of the plurality of test genes.
  • FIG. 1 shows a Kaplan-Meier plot of disease-free survival versus stage in colorectal cancer samples.
  • FIG. 2 shows a Kaplan-Meier plot of disease-free survival versus hypoxia expression in stage II colorectal cancer samples (based on hypoxia score).
  • FIG. 3 is an illustration of a computer system of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an illustration of a computer-implemented method of the invention.
  • hypoxia-related gene and “HRG” herein refer to a gene where changes in expression level are induced by the cellular condition hypoxia (i.e., low cellular levels of oxygen). Often HRGs have clear, recognized hypoxia-related function. However, some HRGs have expression variations induced by hypoxia without having an clear, direct role in the hypoxia response. Thus an HRG according to the present invention need not have a recognized role in the hypoxia response.
  • Whether a particular gene is a hypoxia-related gene may be determined by any technique known in the art, including those taught in Lal et al., J. N ATL . C ANCER I NST . (2001) 93:1337-1343; Leonard et al., J. B IOL . C HEM . (2003) 278:40296-40304.
  • cell lines may be grown with the use of standard cell culture techniques either in equilibrium with atmospheric oxygen or in an Environmental Chamber with reduced oxygen designed to approximate the tumor hypoxia levels, see, e.g., Dewhirst et al., R ADIAT . R ES . (1992) 130:171-182, for hypoxic conditions.
  • any test gene may then be determined by any known technique (e.g., quantitative (including real-time) PCR, microarray, etc.) in both the standard oxygen and hypoxia cultures. These expression levels may then be compared and any genes showing a significant difference, see, e.g., Lal et al. (2001), at 1337 (“Statistical Analysis”), between the standard oxygen and hypoxia cultures may be deemed hypoxia-related genes. Whether a gene is hypoxia-related may be confirmed by a variety of assays, including testing to see if the gene is regulated by HIF-1 (e.g., the subunit HIF-1 ⁇ ). See, e.g., Lal et al. (2001), at 1337 (“HIF-1 Transfection”); id. at 1340. Exemplary HRGs are listed in Tables 1 & 2 below.
  • hypoxia-inducible factor HIF-1
  • This transcription factor in turn regulates a large panel of hypoxia-related genes that increase the virulence of the tumor cells (e.g., increased survival, treatment-resistance and tendency to escape their nutrient-deprived environment [i.e., metastasis]).
  • a method for determining gene expression in a sample.
  • the method includes at least the following steps: (1) obtaining a sample from a patient; (2) determining the expression of a panel of genes in the sample including at least 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 HRGs; and (3) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes. In some embodiments at least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • said plurality of test genes comprises at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 or more HRGs. In some embodiments, said plurality of test genes comprises at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, or 80 or more HRGs selected from Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10. In some embodiments, said plurality of test genes comprises at least 2 HRGs, and the combined weight given to said at least 2 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes comprises at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs, and the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes. The meaning of this percentage of total weight is explained further below.
  • said plurality of test genes comprises one or more HRGs constituting from 1% to about 95% of said plurality of test genes, and the combined weight given to said one or more HRGs is at least 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100% of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes includes at least 2, preferably 4, more preferably at least 5 HRGs, and most preferably at least 6 HRGs.
  • the sample used in the method may be a sample derived from the lung, colon or rectum, e.g., by way of biopsy or surgery.
  • the sample may also be cells naturally shedded by the lung, colon or rectum, e.g., into blood, urine, sputum, feces, etc. Samples from an individual diagnosed with cancer may be used for the cancer prognosis in accordance with the present invention.
  • the method may be performed on a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer.
  • colon cancer and “colorectal cancer” are used interchangeably to refer to colorectal cancer.
  • Such a method includes at least the following steps: (1) obtaining a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer; (2) determining the expression of a panel of genes in the tumor sample including at least 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 HRGs; and (3) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • at least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs
  • the method also may be performed on a sample from a patient who has not been diagnosed with (but may be suspected of having) lung cancer or colon cancer.
  • the sample may be a tissue biopsy or surgical sample directly from the organ of lung, colon or rectum, or cells shedded from such an organ in a bodily fluid (e.g., blood or urine) or other bodily sample (e.g., feces).
  • a bodily fluid e.g., blood or urine
  • other bodily sample e.g., feces
  • Such a method includes at least the following steps: (1) obtaining a sample that is a tissue or cell from the lung, colon or rectum of an individual who has not been diagnosed of cancer; (2) determining the expression of a panel of genes in the sample including at least 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 HRGs; and (3) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes. In some embodiments at least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • said plurality of test genes includes at least 2 HRGs which constitute at least 50% or at least 60% of said plurality of test genes. In some embodiments, said plurality of test genes includes at least 4 HRGs which constitute at least 20% or 30% or 50% or 60% of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes includes the HRGs INHBA and FAP.
  • the sample is from prostate, lung, bladder or brain, but not from breast, and said panel of genes in the method described above comprises INHBA and FAP, and said plurality of test genes includes INHBA and FAP, and optionally the weighting of the expression of the test genes is according to that in O'Connell et al., J. C LIN . O NCOL . (2010) 28:3937-3944, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the plurality of test genes include less than some specific number or proportion of cell-cycle progression genes.
  • “cell-cycle progression gene” and “CCP gene” mean a gene whose expression level closely tracks the progression of the cell through the cell-cycle. See, e.g., Whitfield et al., M OL . B IOL . C ELL (2002) 13:1977-2000. More specifically, CCP genes show periodic increases and decreases in expression that coincide with certain phases of the cell cycle—e.g., STK15 and PLK show peak expression at G2/M. Id. Often CCP genes have clear, recognized cell-cycle related function.
  • CCP genes have expression levels that track the cell-cycle without having an obvious, direct role in the cell-cycle.
  • a CCP gene according to the present invention need not have a recognized role in the cell-cycle.
  • Exemplary CCP genes include ANLN (Entrez Geneld no. 54443), C20orf20 (Entrez Geneld no. 55257), MRPS17 (Entrez Geneld no. 51373), NME1 (Entrez GeneId no. 4830), CDCA4 (Entrez GeneId no. 55038), EIF2S1 (Entrez GeneId no. 1965), PSMA7 (Entrez GeneId no. 5688), PSMB7 (Entrez GeneId no. 5695), PSMD2 (Entrez GeneId no.
  • the plurality of test genes includes less than 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, or 1% CCP genes. In one embodiment the plurality of test genes includes no CCP genes.
  • the weight coefficient given to each HRG in said plurality of test genes is greater than 1/N where N is the total number of test genes in the plurality of test genes.
  • a method for analyzing gene expression in a sample.
  • the method includes at least the following steps: (1) obtaining expression level data from a sample for a panel of genes including at least 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 HRGs; and (2) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • At least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 6 HRGs, which constitute at least 35%, 50% or 75% of said plurality of test genes.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 8 HRGs, which constitute at least 20%, 35%, 50% or 75% of said plurality of test genes.
  • the expression level data comes from a tumor sample from a patient identified as having prostate cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer or brain cancer.
  • RNA level i.e., noncoding RNA (ncRNA), mRNA, miRNA, tRNA, rRNA, snoRNA, siRNA, or piRNA
  • RNA including measuring RNA expression or levels
  • levels of proteins in a tumor sample can be determined by any known techniques in the art, e.g., HPLC, mass spectrometry, or using antibodies specific to selected proteins (e.g., IHC, ELISA, etc.).
  • the amount of RNA transcribed from the panel of genes including test genes in the sample is measured.
  • the amount of RNA of one or more housekeeping genes in the sample is also measured, and used to normalize or calibrate the expression of the test genes.
  • normalizing genes and housekeeping genes are defined herein below.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 2, 3 or 4 HRGs, which constitute at least 50%, 75% or 80% of the plurality of test genes, and preferably 100% of the plurality of test genes. In some embodiments, the plurality of test genes includes at least 5, 6 or 7, or at least 8 HRGs, which constitute at least 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the plurality of test genes, and preferably 100% of the plurality of test genes.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 or 30 HRGs, which constitute at least 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the plurality of test genes, and preferably 100% of the plurality of test genes.
  • tumor sample means any biological sample containing one or more tumor cells, or one or more tumor derived RNA or protein, and obtained from a cancer patient.
  • a tissue sample obtained from a tumor tissue of a cancer patient is a useful tumor sample in the present invention.
  • the tissue sample can be an FFPE sample, or fresh frozen sample, and preferably contain largely tumor cells.
  • a single malignant cell from a cancer patient's tumor is also a useful tumor sample.
  • Such a malignant cell can be obtained directly from the patient's tumor, or purified from the patient's bodily fluid or waste such as blood, urine, or feces.
  • a bodily sample such as blood, urine, sputum, saliva, or feces containing one or tumor cells, or tumor-derived RNA or proteins, can also be useful as a tumor sample for purposes of practicing the present invention.
  • telomere length e.g., telomere length, telomere length, etc.
  • qRT-PCRTM quantitative real-time PCRTM
  • immunoanalysis e.g., ELISA, immunohistochemistry
  • the activity level of a polypeptide encoded by a gene may be used in much the same way as the expression level of the gene or polypeptide. Often higher activity levels indicate higher expression levels while lower activity levels indicate lower expression levels.
  • the invention provides any of the methods discussed above, wherein the activity level of a polypeptide encoded by the HRG is determined rather than or in addition to the expression level of the HRG.
  • the activity level of a polypeptide encoded by the HRG is determined rather than or in addition to the expression level of the HRG.
  • Those skilled in the art are familiar with techniques for measuring the activity of various such proteins, including those encoded by the genes listed in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the methods of the invention may be practiced independent of the particular technique used.
  • the expression of one or more normalizing genes is also obtained for use in normalizing the expression of test genes.
  • normalizing genes referred to the genes whose expression is used to calibrate or normalize the measured expression of the gene of interest (e.g., test genes).
  • the expression of normalizing genes should be independent of cancer outcome/prognosis, and the expression of the normalizing genes is very similar among all the tumor samples. The normalization ensures accurate comparison of expression of a test gene between different samples. For this purpose, housekeeping genes known in the art can be used.
  • Housekeeping genes are well known in the art, with examples including, but are not limited to, GUSB (glucuronidase, beta), HMBS (hydroxymethylbilane synthase), SDHA (succinate dehydrogenase complex, subunit A, flavoprotein), UBC (ubiquitin C) and YWHAZ (tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, zeta polypeptide).
  • GUSB glucose curonidase, beta
  • HMBS hydroxymethylbilane synthase
  • SDHA succinate dehydrogenase complex, subunit A, flavoprotein
  • UBC ubiquitin C
  • YWHAZ tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, zeta polypeptide.
  • One or more housekeeping genes can be used.
  • at least 2, 5, 10 or 15 housekeeping genes are used to provide a combined normalizing gene
  • RNA levels for the genes In the case of measuring RNA levels for the genes, one convenient and sensitive approach is real-time quantitative PCRTM (qPCR) assay, following a reverse transcription reaction.
  • qPCR real-time quantitative PCRTM
  • a cycle threshold C t is determined for each test gene and each normalizing gene, i.e., the number of cycle at which the fluoescence from a qPCR reaction above background is detectable.
  • the overall expression of the one or more normalizing genes can be represented by a “normalizing value” which can be generated by combining the expression of all normalizing genes, either weighted equally (straight addition or averaging) or by different predefined coefficients.
  • the normalizing value C tH can be the cycle threshold (C t ) of one single normalizing gene, or an average of the C t values of 2 or more, preferably 10 or more, or 15 or more normalizing genes, in which case, the predefined coefficient is 1/N, where N is the total number of normalizing genes used.
  • C tH (C tH1 +C tH2 + . . . C tHn )/N.
  • the methods of the invention generally involve determining the level of expression of a panel of HRGs.
  • the test value provided in the present invention represents the overall expression level of the plurality of test genes composed of substantially HRGs.
  • the test value representing the overall expression of the plurality of test genes can be provided by combining the normalized expression of all test genes, either by straight addition or averaging (i.e., weighted equally) or by a different predefined coefficient.
  • test value ( ⁇ C t1 + ⁇ C t2 + . . . + ⁇ C tn )/n.
  • the choice of individual HRGs for a test panel can often be somewhat arbitrary. In other words, many HRGs have been found to be very good surrogates for each other.
  • One way of assessing whether particular HRGs will serve well in the methods and compositions of the invention is by assessing their correlation with the mean expression of HRGs (e.g., all known HRGs, a specific set of HRGs, etc.). Those HRGs that correlate particularly well with the mean are expected to perform well in assays of the invention, e.g., because these will reduce noise in the assay. Rankings of select HRGs according to their correlation with the mean HRG expression are given in Tables 5 & 6.
  • the plurality of test genes comprises the top 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 or more HRGs listed in Table 5 or Table 6.
  • a method for prognosing cancer selected from lung cancer and colon cancer which comprises determining in a tumor sample from a patient diagnosed with lung cancer or colon cancer, the expression of at least 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 or at least 8, 9, 10 or 12 HRGs, wherein overexpression of the 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 or at least 8, 9, 10 or 12 HRGs indicates a poor prognosis or an increased likelihood of progression or recurrence of cancer in the patient.
  • the expression can be determined in accordance with the method described above.
  • the prognosis method comprises (1) determining in a sample the expression of a panel of genes including at least 4, 5, 6, or at least 8 HRGs; and (2) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from the panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide the test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes, and wherein an increased level (e.g., overall) of expression of the plurality of test genes indicates the patient has a poor prognosis or an increased likelihood that the patient's cancer will progress aggressively.
  • at least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • the prognosis method further includes a step of comparing the test value provided in step (2) above to one or more reference values, and correlating the test value to the prognosis of cancer. Optionally poor prognosis of the cancer is indicated if the test value is greater than the reference value.
  • said plurality of test genes includes at least 2 HRGs which constitute at least 50% or at least 60% of said plurality of test genes. In some embodiments, said plurality of test genes includes at least 4 HRGs which constitute at least 20% or 30% or 50% or 60% of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes comprises at least 2 HRGs, and the combined weight given to said at least 2 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes comprises at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs, and the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes comprises one or more HRGs constituting from 1% to about 95% of said plurality of test genes, and the combined weight given to said one or more HRGs is (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes.
  • said plurality of test genes includes at least 2, preferably 4, more preferably at least 5 HRGs, and most preferably at least 6 HRGs.
  • said plurality of test genes includes the HRGs INHBA and FAP.
  • said panel of genes in the method described above comprises INHBA and FAP, and said plurality of test genes includes INHBA and FAP, and optionally the weighting of the expression of the test genes is according to that in O'Connell et al., J. C LIN . O NCOL . (2010) 28:3937-3944, which is incorporated herein by reference.
  • the weight coefficient given to each HRG in said plurality of test genes is greater than 1/N where N is the total number of test genes in the plurality of test genes.
  • the prognosis method includes (1) obtaining a tumor sample from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer; (2) determining the expression of a panel of genes in the tumor sample including at least 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 HRGs; and (3) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from the panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes, and wherein an increased level of expression of the plurality of test genes indicates a poor prognosis or an increased likelihood of cancer recurrence. In some embodiments at least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • Some embodiments provide a method for prognosing cancer comprising: (1) obtaining expression level data, from a sample (e.g., tumor sample) from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer, for a panel of genes including at least 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 HRGs; and (2) providing a test value by (a) weighting the determined expression of each of a plurality of test genes selected from said panel of genes with a predefined coefficient, and (b) combining the weighted expression to provide said test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes. In some embodiments at least 20%, 50%, 75%, or 90% of said plurality of test genes are HRGs.
  • a related aspect of the invention provides a method of classifying cancer comprising determining the status of a panel of genes comprising at least two HRGs, in tissue or cell sample, particularly a tumor sample, from a patient, wherein an abnormal status indicates a negative cancer classification.
  • determining the status” of a gene refers to determining the presence, absence, or extent/level of some physical, chemical, or genetic characteristic of the gene or its expression product(s). Such characteristics include, but are not limited to, expression levels, activity levels, mutations, copy number, methylation status, etc.
  • characteristics include expression levels (e.g., mRNA or protein levels) and activity levels. Characteristics may be assayed directly (e.g., by assaying a HRG's expression level) or determined indirectly (e.g., assaying the level of a gene or genes whose expression level is correlated to the expression level of the HRG).
  • some embodiments of the invention provide a method of classifying cancer comprising determining the expression level, particularly mRNA (alternatively cDNA) level of a panel of genes comprising at least two HRGs, in a tumor sample, wherein elevated expression indicates (a) the patient has cancer, (b) a negative cancer classification, (c) an increased risk of cancer recurrence or progression, or (d) a need for aggressive treatment.
  • mRNA alternatively cDNA
  • “Abnormal status” means a marker's status in a particular sample differs from the status generally found in average samples (e.g., healthy samples or average diseased samples). Examples include mutated, elevated (or increased), decreased, present, absent, negative, positive, etc.
  • a “negative status” generally means the characteristic is absent or undetectable.
  • LGALS1 status is negative if LGALS1 nucleic acid and/or protein is absent or undetectable in a sample.
  • negative LGALS1 status also includes a mutation or copy number reduction in LGALS1 LGALS1.
  • abnormal HRG expression indicates a negative cancer classification.
  • “Abnormal expression” means a gene's expression level in a particular sample differs from the level generally found in average samples (e.g., healthy samples, average diseased samples, etc.). Examples of “abnormal expression” include elevated, decreased, present, absent, etc.
  • An “elevated expression” or “increased expression” means that the level of one or more of the above expression products (e.g., mRNA) is higher than normal levels. Generally this means an increase in the level (e.g., mRNA level) as compared to an index value.
  • a “low expression” or “decreased expression” means that the level of one or more of the above expression products (e.g., mRNA) is lower than normal levels. Generally this means a decrease in the level (e.g., mRNA level) as compared to an index value.
  • “low expression” can include absent or undetectable expression.
  • the test value representing the expression (e.g., overall expression) of the plurality of test genes is compared to one or more reference values (or index values), and optionally correlated to a risk of cancer progression or risk of cancer recurrence.
  • a “test value” determined to reflect the expression of a plurality of genes will generally be compared with a reference or index value.
  • the index value may represent the gene expression levels found in a normal sample obtained from the patient of interest, in which case an expression level in the tumor sample significantly higher (e.g., 1.5-fold, 2-fold, 3-fold, 4-fold, 5-fold, 10-fold, 20-fold, 30-fold, 40-fold, 50-fold, 100-fold or more higher) than this index value would indicate, e.g., a poor prognosis or increased likelihood of cancer recurrence or a need for aggressive treatment.
  • expression will be considered “increased” or “decreased” only if it differs significantly from the index value. Thus in some embodiments expression is deemed “increased” over the index value only if it is at least some amount or fold change (including some number of standard deviations) higher that the index value. Similarly, in some embodiments expression is deemed “decreased” below the index value only if it is at least some amount or fold change lower that the index value. For example, in some embodiments “increased” or “decreased” expression means the expression level in the sample is at least 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% or more higher or lower than the index value.
  • “increased” or “decreased” expression means the expression level in the sample is at least 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000 or more fold higher or lower than the index value. In some embodiments “increased” or “decreased” expression means the expression level in the sample is at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more standard deviations higher than the index value.
  • the index value may represent the average expression level for a set of individuals from a diverse cancer population or a subset of the population. For example, one may determine the average expression level of a gene or gene panel in a random sampling of patients with cancer (e.g., lung or colorectal cancer). This average expression level may be termed the “threshold index value,” with patients having HRG expression higher than this value expected to have a poorer prognosis than those having expression lower than this value. Alternatively the “threshold index value” may be a value some statistically significant amount higher than this average expression level.
  • the threshold index value is 1.5-fold, 2-fold, 3-fold, 4-fold, 5-fold, 10-fold, 20-fold, 30-fold, 40-fold, 50-fold, 100-fold or more higher than the average expression level. In some embodiments the threshold index value is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more standard deviations higher than the average expression level.
  • the reference population is divided into groups (e.g., terciles, quartiles, quintiles), with each group assigned one or more index values (e.g., the average expression level across members of each group, expression levels representing the boundaries of each group, etc.).
  • the index value may represent the average expression level of a particular gene marker in a plurality of training patients (e.g., healthy controls, lung or colon cancer patients) with similar clinical features (e.g., similar outcomes whose clinical and follow-up data are available and sufficient to define and categorize the patients by disease outcome, e.g., recurrence or prognosis). See, e.g., Examples, infra.
  • a training patients e.g., healthy controls, lung or colon cancer patients
  • similar clinical features e.g., similar outcomes whose clinical and follow-up data are available and sufficient to define and categorize the patients by disease outcome, e.g., recurrence or prognosis. See, e.g., Examples, infra.
  • a “good prognosis index value” can be generated from a plurality of training cancer patients characterized as having “good outcome”, e.g., those who have not had cancer recurrence five years (or ten years or more) after initial treatment, or who have not had progression in their cancer five years (or ten years or more) after initial diagnosis.
  • a “poor prognosis index value” can be generated from a plurality of training cancer patients defined as having “poor outcome”, e.g., those who have had cancer recurrence within five years (or ten years, etc.) after initial treatment, or who have had progression in their cancer within five years (or ten years, etc.) after initial diagnosis.
  • a good prognosis index value of a particular gene may represent the average level of expression of the particular gene in patients having a “good outcome,” whereas a poor prognosis index value of a particular gene represents the average level of expression of the particular gene in patients having a “poor outcome.”
  • the determined level of expression of a relevant gene marker is closer to the cancer index value of the gene than to the cancer-free index value of the gene, then it can be concluded that the patient has cancer.
  • the determined level of expression of a relevant gene marker is closer to the cancer-free index value of the gene than to the cancer index value of the gene, then it can be concluded that the patient does not have cancer.
  • the determined level of expression of a relevant gene marker is closer to the good prognosis index value of the gene than to the poor prognosis index value of the gene, then it can be concluded that the patient is more likely to have a good prognosis, i.e., a low (or no increased) likelihood of cancer recurrence.
  • the determined level of expression of a relevant gene marker is closer to the poor prognosis index value of the gene than to the good prognosis index value of the gene, then it can be concluded that the patient is more likely to have a poor prognosis, i.e., an increased likelihood of cancer recurrence.
  • index values may be determined thusly:
  • a threshold value will be set for the HRG mean.
  • the optimal threshold value is selected based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which plots sensitivity vs (1—specificity).
  • ROC receiver operating characteristic
  • the sensitivity and specificity of the test is calculated using that value as a threshold.
  • the actual threshold will be the value that optimizes these metrics according to the artisan's requirements (e.g., what degree of sensitivity or specificity is desired, etc.).
  • Panels of HRGs can predict prognosis of cancer (Examples below).
  • HRGs e.g., at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100 or more HRGs
  • Those skilled in the art are familiar with various ways of determining the expression of a panel (i.e., a plurality) of genes, including the techniques discussed above for determining test values for gene panels. Sometimes herein this is called determining the “overall expression” of a panel or plurality of genes.
  • a certain number e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or more
  • a certain proportion e.g., 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%, 100%
  • classifying a cancer and “cancer classification” refer to determining one or more clinically-relevant features of a cancer and/or determining a particular prognosis of a patient having said cancer.
  • classifying a cancer includes, but is not limited to: (i) evaluating metastatic potential, potential to metastasize to specific organs, risk of recurrence, and/or course of the tumor; (ii) evaluating tumor stage; (iii) determining patient prognosis in the absence of treatment of the cancer; (iv) determining prognosis of patient response (e.g., tumor shrinkage or progression-free survival) to treatment (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery to excise tumor, etc.); (v) diagnosis of actual patient response to current and/or past treatment; (vi) determining a preferred course of treatment for the patient; (vii) prognosis for patient relapse after treatment (either treatment in general or some particular treatment); (viii) prognosis of patient life expectancy
  • a “negative classification” means an unfavorable clinical feature of the cancer (e.g., a poor prognosis).
  • examples include (i) an increased metastatic potential, potential to metastasize to specific organs, and/or risk of recurrence; (ii) an advanced tumor stage; (iii) a poor patient prognosis in the absence of treatment of the cancer; (iv) a poor prognosis of patient response (e.g., tumor shrinkage or progression-free survival) to a particular treatment (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery to excise tumor, etc.); (v) a poor prognosis for patient relapse after treatment (either treatment in general or some particular treatment); (vi) a poor prognosis of patient life expectancy (e.g., prognosis for overall survival), etc.
  • a recurrence-associated clinical parameter or a high nomogram score
  • increased expression of a HRG indicate a negative classification in cancer (e.g.
  • elevated HRG expression accompanies rapidly proliferating (e.g., heartier, more resistant, and/or more aggressive) cancer cells.
  • a cancer in a patient will often mean the patient has an increased likelihood of recurrence after treatment (e.g., the cancer cells not killed or removed by the treatment will quickly grow back).
  • Such a cancer can also mean the patient has an increased likelihood of cancer progression for more rapid progression (e.g., the rapidly proliferating cells will cause any tumor to grow quickly, gain in virulence, and/or metastasize).
  • Such a cancer can also mean the patient may require a relatively more aggressive treatment.
  • the invention provides a method of classifying cancer comprising determining the expression of a panel of genes comprising a plurality of HRGs, wherein an abnormal expression indicates an increased likelihood of recurrence or progression.
  • the expression to be determined is gene expression levels.
  • the invention provides a method of determining the prognosis of a patient's cancer comprising determining the expression level of a panel of genes comprising a plurality of HRGs, wherein elevated expression indicates an increased likelihood of recurrence or progression of the cancer.
  • “Recurrence” and “progression” are terms well-known in the art and are used herein according to their known meanings.
  • the meaning of “progression” may be cancer-type dependent, with progression in lung cancer meaning something different from progression in prostate cancer.
  • progression may be cancer-type dependent, with progression in lung cancer meaning something different from progression in prostate cancer.
  • progression is clearly understood to those skilled in the art.
  • a patient has an “increased likelihood” of some clinical feature or outcome (e.g., recurrence or progression) if the probability of the patient having the feature or outcome exceeds some reference probability or value.
  • the reference probability may be the probability of the feature or outcome across the general relevant patient population.
  • the probability of recurrence in the general prostate cancer population is X % and a particular patient has been determined by the methods of the present invention to have a probability of recurrence of Y %, and if Y>X, then the patient has an “increased likelihood” of recurrence.
  • a threshold or reference value may be determined and a particular patient's probability of recurrence may be compared to that threshold or reference. Because predicting recurrence and predicting progression are prognostic endeavors, “predicting prognosis” will often be used herein to refer to either or both. In these cases, a “poor prognosis” will generally refer to an increased likelihood of recurrence, progression, or both.
  • the invention provides methods of predicting prognosis comprising determining the expression of at least one HRG listed in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the methods of the invention comprise determining the status of a panel (i.e., a plurality) of test genes comprising a plurality of HRGs (e.g., to provide a test value representing the average expression of the test genes).
  • a panel i.e., a plurality
  • HRGs e.g., to provide a test value representing the average expression of the test genes.
  • increased expression in a panel of test genes may refer to the average expression level of all panel genes in a particular patient being higher than the average expression level of these genes in normal patients (or higher than some index value that has been determined to represent the normal average expression level).
  • increased expression in a panel of test genes may refer to increased expression in at least a certain number (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or more) or at least a certain proportion (e.g., 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%, 100%) of the genes in the panel as compared to the average normal expression level.
  • a certain number e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or more
  • a certain proportion e.g., 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%, 100%
  • the test panel (which may itself be a sub-panel analyzed informatically) comprises at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, or more HRGs. In some embodiments the test panel comprises at least 10, 15, 20, or more HRGs. In some embodiments the test panel comprises between 5 and 100 HRGs, between 7 and 40 HRGs, between 5 and 25 HRGs, between 10 and 20 HRGs, or between 10 and 15 HRGs. In some embodiments HRGs comprise at least a certain proportion of the test panel used to provide a test value.
  • the test panel comprises at least 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% HRGs.
  • the test panel comprises at least 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, or more HRGs, and such HRGs constitute at least 50%, 60%, 70%, preferably at least 75%, 80%, 85%, more preferably at least 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% or more of the total number of genes in the test panel.
  • the HRGs are chosen from the group consisting of the genes in any of Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the test panel comprises at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 25, 30, or more of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the invention provides a method of predicting prognosis comprising determining (e.g., in a sample) the status of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10, wherein abnormal status (e.g., increased expression) indicates a poor prognosis.
  • elevated expression indicates an increased likelihood of recurrence or progression.
  • the invention provides a method of predicting risk of cancer recurrence or progression in a patient comprising determining the status of a panel of genes, wherein the panel comprises between about 10 and about 15 HRGs, wherein the combined weight given to said between about 10 and about 15 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes, and an elevated status for the HRGs indicates an increased likelihood or recurrence or progression.
  • the choice of individual HRGs for a test panel can often be somewhat arbitrary. In other words, many HRGs have been found to be very good surrogates for each other.
  • One way of assessing whether particular HRGs will serve well in the methods and compositions of the invention is by assessing their correlation with the mean expression of HRGs (e.g., all known HRGs, a specific set of HRGs, etc.). Those HRGs that correlate particularly well with the mean are expected to perform well in assays of the invention, e.g., because these will reduce noise in the assay. Rankings of select HRGs according to their correlation with the mean HRG expression are given in Tables 5 & 6.
  • the plurality of test genes comprises the top 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 or more HRGs listed in Table 5 or Table 6.
  • HRG signatures the particular HRGs analyzed are often not as important as the total number of HRGs.
  • the number of HRGs analyzed can vary depending on many factors, e.g., technical constraints, cost considerations, the classification being made, the cancer being tested, the desired level of predictive power, etc.
  • Increasing the number of HRGs analyzed in a panel according to the invention is, as a general matter, advantageous because, e.g., a larger pool of genes to be analyzed means less “noise” caused by outliers and less chance of an error in measurement or analysis throwing off the overall predictive power of the test.
  • cost and other considerations will sometimes limit this number and finding the optimal number of HRGs for a signature is desirable.
  • HRGs measures the phenomenon of hypoxia in a patient's tumor and the response of tumor cells to such hypoxia
  • the predictive power of a HRG signature may often cease to increase significantly beyond a certain number of HRGs. More specifically, the optimal number of HRGs in a signature (n O ) can be found wherever the following is true
  • Predictive power can be defined in many ways known to those skilled in the art including, but not limited to, the signature's p-value.
  • C O can be chosen by the artisan based on his or her specific constraints. For example, if cost is not a critical factor and extremely high levels of sensitivity and specificity are desired, C O can be set very low such that only trivial increases in predictive power are disregarded. On the other hand, if cost is decisive and moderate levels of sensitivity and specificity are acceptable, C O can be set higher such that only significant increases in predictive power warrant increasing the number of genes in the signature.
  • a graph of predictive power as a function of gene number may be plotted and the second derivative of this plot taken.
  • the point at which the second derivative decreases to some predetermined value (C O ′) may be the optimal number of genes in the signature.
  • HRGs are particularly predictive in certain cancers.
  • panels of HRGs have been determined to be accurate in prognosing lung cancer and colon cancer.
  • the invention provides a method comprising determining the status of a panel of genes comprising at least two HRGs, wherein an abnormal status indicates a poor prognosis.
  • the panel comprises at least 2 genes chosen from the group of genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the panel comprises at least 10 genes chosen from the group of genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the panel comprises at least 15 genes chosen from the group of genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the panel comprises all of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the invention also provides a method of determining the prognosis of lung cancer, comprising determining the status of a panel of genes comprising at least two HRGs (e.g., at least two of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10), wherein an abnormal status indicates a poor prognosis.
  • the invention also provides a method of determining the prognosis of colon cancer, comprising determining the status of a panel of genes comprising at least two HRGs (e.g., at least two of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10), wherein an abnormal status indicates a poor prognosis.
  • the panel comprises at least 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 or more HRGs. In some embodiments the panel comprises between 5 and 100 HRGs, between 7 and 40 HRGs, between 5 and 25 HRGs, between 10 and 20 HRGs, or between 10 and 15 HRGs. In some embodiments HRGs comprise at least a certain proportion of the panel. Thus in some embodiments the panel comprises at least 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% HRGs. In some embodiments the HRGs are chosen from the group consisting of the genes listed in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • the panel comprises at least 2 genes chosen from the group of genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10. In some embodiments the panel comprises at least 10 genes chosen from the group of genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10. In some embodiments the panel comprises at least 15 genes chosen from the group of genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10. In some embodiments the panel comprises all of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • results of any analyses according to the invention will often be communicated to physicians, genetic counselors and/or patients (or other interested parties such as researchers) in a transmittable form that can be communicated or transmitted to any of the above parties.
  • a transmittable form can vary and can be tangible or intangible.
  • the results can be embodied in descriptive statements, diagrams, photographs, charts, images or any other visual forms. For example, graphs showing expression or activity level or sequence variation information for various genes can be used in explaining the results. Diagrams showing such information for additional target gene(s) are also useful in indicating some testing results.
  • statements and visual forms can be recorded on a tangible medium such as papers, computer readable media such as floppy disks, compact disks, etc., or on an intangible medium, e.g., an electronic medium in the form of email or website on internet or intranet.
  • results can also be recorded in a sound form and transmitted through any suitable medium, e.g., analog or digital cable lines, fiber optic cables, etc., via telephone, facsimile, wireless mobile phone, internet phone and the like.
  • the information and data on a test result can be produced anywhere in the world and transmitted to a different location.
  • the information and data on a test result may be generated, cast in a transmittable form as described above, and then imported into the United States.
  • the present invention also encompasses a method for producing a transmittable form of information on at least one of (a) expression level or (b) activity level for a panel of HRGs (as discussed in the various embodiments above) for at least one patient sample.
  • the method comprises the steps of (1) determining at least one of (a) or (b) above according to methods of the present invention; and (2) embodying the result of the determining step in a transmittable form.
  • the transmittable form is the product of such a method.
  • the invention provides a system for determining gene expression in a tumor sample, comprising:
  • the invention provides a system for determining gene expression in a tumor sample, comprising: (1) a sample analyzer for determining the expression levels of a panel of genes in a tumor sample including at least 4 HRGs, wherein the sample analyzer contains the tumor sample which is from a patient identified as having lung cancer or colon cancer, RNA from the sample and expressed from the panel of genes, or DNA synthesized from said RNA; (2) a first computer program for (a) receiving gene expression data on at least 4 test genes selected from the panel of genes, (b) weighting the determined expression of each of the test genes with a predefined coefficient, and (c) combining the weighted expression to provide a test value, wherein the combined weight given to said at least 4 or 5 or 6 HRGs is at least 40% (or 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or 100%) of the total weight given to the expression of all of said plurality of test genes; and optionally (3) a second computer program for comparing the test value to one or more reference values each associated with a predetermined degree
  • the system comprises a computer program for determining the patient's prognosis and/or determining (including quantifying) the patient's degree of risk of cancer recurrence or progression based at least in part on the comparison of the test value with said one or more reference values.
  • the system further comprises a display module displaying the comparison between the test value and the one or more reference values, or displaying a result of the comparing step, or displaying the patient's prognosis and/or degree of risk of cancer recurrence or progression.
  • the amount of RNA transcribed from the panel of genes including test genes (and/or DNA reverse transcribed therefrom) is measured in the sample.
  • the amount of RNA of one or more housekeeping genes in the sample (and/or DNA reverse transcribed therefrom) is also measured, and used to normalize or calibrate the expression of the test genes, as described above.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 2, 3 or 4 HRGs, which constitute at least 50%, 75% or 80% of the plurality of test genes, and preferably 100% of the plurality of test genes. In some embodiments, the plurality of test genes includes at least 5, 6 or 7, or at least 8 HRGs, which constitute at least 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the plurality of test genes, and preferably 100% of the plurality of test genes.
  • the plurality of test genes includes at least 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 or 30 HRGs, which constitute at least 20%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80% or 90% of the plurality of test genes, and preferably 100% of the plurality of test genes.
  • the sample analyzer can be any instrument useful in determining gene expression, including, e.g., a sequencing machine (e.g., Illumina HiSegTM, Ion Torrent PGM, ABI SOLiDTM sequencer, PacBio RS, Helicos HeliscopeTM, etc.), a real-time PCR machine (e.g., ABI 7900 , Fluidigm BioMarkTM, etc.), a microarray instrument, etc.
  • a sequencing machine e.g., Illumina HiSegTM, Ion Torrent PGM, ABI SOLiDTM sequencer, PacBio RS, Helicos HeliscopeTM, etc.
  • a real-time PCR machine e.g., ABI 7900 , Fluidigm BioMarkTM, etc.
  • a microarray instrument e.g., a microarray instrument, etc.
  • the computer-based analysis function can be implemented in any suitable language and/or browsers. For example, it may be implemented with C language and preferably using object-oriented high-level programming languages such as Visual Basic, SmallTalk, C++, and the like.
  • the application can be written to suit environments such as the Microsoft WindowsTM environment including WindowsTM 98, WindowsTM 2000, WindowsTM NT, and the like.
  • the application can also be written for the MacIntoshTM, SUNTM, UNIX or LINUX environment.
  • the functional steps can also be implemented using a universal or platform-independent programming language.
  • multi-platform programming languages include, but are not limited to, hypertext markup language (HTML), JAVATM, JavaScriptTM, Flash programming language, common gateway interface/structured query language (CGI/SQL), practical extraction report language (PERL), AppleScriptTM and other system script languages, programming language/structured query language (PL/SQL), and the like.
  • JavaTM- or JavaScriptTM-enabled browsers such as HotJavaTM, MicrosoftTM ExplorerTM, or NetscapeTM can be used.
  • active content web pages may include JavaTM applets or ActiveXTM controls or other active content technologies.
  • the analysis function can also be embodied in computer program products and used in the systems described above or other computer- or internet-based systems. Accordingly, another aspect of the present invention relates to a computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program codes or instructions embodied thereon for enabling a processor to carry out HRG expression analysis as described above.
  • These computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus create means for implementing the functions or steps described above.
  • These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory or medium that can direct a computer or other programmable apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory or medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the analysis.
  • the computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions or steps described above.
  • the system comprises (1) computer program for receiving, storing, and/or retrieving patient sample expression data for a plurality of test genes comprising at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 or 30 HRGs; (2) computer program means for querying this patient sample data; (3) computer program means for concluding whether there is an increased likelihood of progression or recurrence based at least in part on this patient sample data; and optionally (4) computer program means for outputting/displaying this conclusion.
  • this means for outputting the conclusion may comprise a computer program means for informing a health care professional of the conclusion.
  • Computer system [ 300 ] may include at least one input module for entering patient data into the computer system [ 300 ].
  • the computer system [ 300 ] may include at least one output module [ 324 ] for indicating whether a patient has an increased or decreased likelihood of response and/or indicating suggested treatments determined by the computer system [ 300 ].
  • Computer system [ 300 ] may include at least one memory module [ 303 ] in communication with the at least one input module [ 330 ] and the at least one output module [ 324 ].
  • the at least one memory module [ 303 ] may include, e.g., a removable storage drive [ 308 ], which can be in various forms, including but not limited to, a magnetic tape drive, a floppy disk drive, a VCD drive, a DVD drive, an optical disk drive, a flash memory drive, etc.
  • the removable storage drive [ 308 ] may be compatible with a removable storage unit [ 310 ] such that it can read from and/or write to the removable storage unit [ 310 ].
  • Removable storage unit [ 310 ] may include a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer-readable program codes or instructions and/or computer readable data.
  • removable storage unit [ 310 ] may store patient data.
  • Example of removable storage unit [ 310 ] are well known in the art, including, but not limited to, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, optical disks, and the like.
  • the at least one memory module [ 303 ] may also include a hard disk drive [ 312 ], which can be used to store computer readable program codes or instructions, and/or computer readable data.
  • the at least one memory module may further include an interface [ 314 ] and a removable storage unit [ 313 ] that is compatible with interface [ 314 ] such that software, computer readable codes or instructions can be transferred from the removable storage unit [ 313 ] into computer system [ 300 ].
  • interface [ 314 ] and removable storage unit [ 313 ] pairs include, e.g., removable memory chips (e.g., EPROMs or PROMs) and sockets associated therewith, program cartridges and cartridge interface, and the like.
  • Computer system [ 300 ] may also include a secondary memory module [ 318 ], such as random access memory (RAM).
  • RAM random access memory
  • Computer system [ 300 ] may include at least one processor module [ 302 ]. It should be understood that the at least one processor module [ 302 ] may consist of any number of devices.
  • the at least one processor module [ 302 ] may include a data processing device, such as a microprocessor or microcontroller or a central processing unit.
  • the at least one processor module [ 302 ] may include another logic device such as a DMA (Direct Memory Access) processor, an integrated communication processor device, a custom VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) device or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) device.
  • the at least one processor module [ 302 ] may include any other type of analog or digital circuitry that is designed to perform the processing functions described herein.
  • the at least one memory module [ 303 ], the at least one processor module [ 302 ], and secondary memory module [ 318 ] are all operably linked together through communication infrastructure [ 320 ], which may be a communications bus, system board, cross-bar, etc.
  • communication infrastructure [ 320 ] Through the communication infrastructure [ 320 ], computer program codes or instructions or computer readable data can be transferred and exchanged.
  • Input interface [ 323 ] may operably connect the at least one input module [ 323 ] to the communication infrastructure [ 320 ].
  • output interface [ 322 ] may operably connect the at least one output module [ 324 ] to the communication infrastructure [ 320 ].
  • the at least one input module [ 330 ] may include, for example, a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, scanner, and other input devices known in the art.
  • the at least one output module [ 324 ] may include, for example, a display screen, such as a computer monitor, TV monitor, or the touch screen of the at least one input module [ 330 ]; a printer; and audio speakers.
  • Computer system [ 300 ] may also include, modems, communication ports, network cards such as Ethernet cards, and newly developed devices for accessing intranets or the internet.
  • the at least one memory module [ 303 ] may be configured for storing patient data entered via the at least one input module [ 330 ] and processed via the at least one processor module [ 302 ].
  • Patient data relevant to the present invention may include expression level information for an HRG.
  • Patient data relevant to the present invention may also include clinical parameters relevant to the patient's disease (e.g., tumor size, cytology, stage, age, serum CEA, serum CA19-9, grade, adjuvant treatment, etc.). Any other patient data a physician might find useful in making treatment decisions/recommendations may also be entered into the system, including but not limited to age, gender, and race/ethnicity and lifestyle data such as diet information.
  • Other possible types of patient data include symptoms currently or previously experienced, patient's history of illnesses, medications, and medical procedures.
  • the at least one memory module [ 303 ] may include a computer-implemented method stored therein.
  • the at least one processor module [ 302 ] may be used to execute software or computer-readable instruction codes of the computer-implemented method.
  • the computer-implemented method may be configured to, based upon the patient data, indicate whether the patient has an increased likelihood of recurrence, progression or response to any particular treatment, generate a list of possible treatments, etc.
  • the computer-implemented method may be configured to identify a patient as having or not having cancer or as having or not having an increased likelihood of recurrence or progression. For example, the computer-implemented method may be configured to inform a physician that a particular patient has cancer, has a quantified probability of having cancer, has an increased likelihood of recurrence, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the computer-implemented method may be configured to actually suggest a particular course of treatment based on the answers to/results for various queries.
  • FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a computer-implemented method [ 400 ] of the invention that may be implemented with the computer system of the invention.
  • the method [ 400 ] begins with a query [ 410 ]. If the answer to/result for this query is “Yes” [ 420 ], the method concludes [ 430 ] that the patient has a poor prognosis. If the answer to/result for this queries is “No” [ 421 ], the method concludes [ 431 ] that the patient does not necessarily have poor prognosis (subject to any additional tests/queries that may be desirable to be run). The method [ 400 ] may then proceed with more queries, make a particular treatment recommendation ([ 440 ], [ 441 ]), or simply end.
  • the computer-implemented method of the invention [ 400 ] is open-ended.
  • the apparent first step [ 410 ] in FIG. 4 may actually form part of a larger process and, within this larger process, need not be the first step/query. Additional steps may also be added onto the core methods discussed above.
  • Additional steps include, but are not limited to, informing a health care professional (or the patient itself) of the conclusion reached; combining the conclusion reached by the illustrated method [ 400 ] with other facts or conclusions to reach some additional or refined conclusion regarding the patient's diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, etc.; making a recommendation for treatment (e.g., “patient should/should not undergo radical prostatectomy”); additional queries about additional biomarkers, clinical parameters, or other useful patient information (e.g., age at diagnosis, general patient health, etc.).
  • the answers to the queries may be determined by the method instituting a search of patient data for the answer.
  • patient data may be searched for HRG expression information. If such a comparison has not already been performed, the method may compare these data to some reference in order to determine if the patient has abnormal (e.g., elevated, low, negative) HRG expression.
  • the method may present the query [ 410 ] to a user (e.g., a physician) of the computer system [ 300 ].
  • the question [ 410 ] may be presented via an output module [ 324 ].
  • the user may then answer “Yes” or “No” via an input module [ 330 ].
  • the method may then proceed based upon the answer received.
  • the conclusions [ 430 , 431 ] may be presented to a user of the computer-implemented method via an output module [ 324 ].
  • the invention provides a method comprising: accessing information on a patient's HRG status stored in a computer-readable medium; querying this information to determine whether a sample obtained from the patient shows increased expression of at least one HRG; outputting [or displaying] the sample's HRG expression status.
  • displaying means communicating any information by any sensory means. Examples include, but are not limited to, visual displays, e.g., on a computer screen or on a sheet of paper printed at the command of the computer, and auditory displays, e.g., computer generated or recorded auditory expression of a patient's genotype.
  • the invention provides a method comprising: accessing information on a patient's HRG expression stored in a computer-readable medium; querying this information to determine whether a sample obtained from the patient shows increased expression of a plurality of HRGs; and outputting [or displaying] the sample's HRG expression status.
  • displaying means communicating any information by any sensory means. Examples include, but are not limited to, visual displays, e.g., on a computer screen or on a sheet of paper printed at the command of the computer, and auditory displays, e.g., computer generated or recorded auditory expression of a patient's genotype.
  • some embodiments provide a computer-implemented method of prognosing colorectal cancer comprising accessing information on a patient's HRG expression (e.g., from a tumor sample obtained from the patient) stored in a computer-readable medium; querying this information to determine whether the sample shows increased expression of a plurality of HRGs; and outputting (or displaying) an indication that the patient has a poor prognosis (e.g., an increased likelihood of recurrence) if the sample shows increased HRG expression.
  • Some embodiments further comprise displaying the HRGs queried and their status (including, e.g., expression levels), optionally together with an indication of whether the HRG status indicates poor prognosis.
  • Computer software products of the invention typically include computer readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing the logic steps of the method of the invention.
  • Suitable computer readable medium include floppy disk, CD-ROM/DVD/DVD-ROM, hard-disk drive, flash memory, ROM/RAM, magnetic tapes and etc.
  • Basic computational biology methods are described in, for example, Setubal et al., I NTRODUCTION TO C OMPUTATIONAL B IOLOGY M ETHODS (PWS Publishing Company, Boston, 1997); Salzberg et al.
  • the present invention may also make use of various computer program products and software for a variety of purposes, such as probe design, management of data, analysis, and instrument operation. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,839; 5,795,716; 5,733,729; 5,974,164; 6,066,454; 6,090,555; 6,185,561; 6,188,783; 6,223,127; 6,229,911 and 6,308,170. Additionally, the present invention may have embodiments that include methods for providing genetic information over networks such as the Internet as shown in U.S. Ser. Nos. 10/197,621 (U.S. Pub. No. 20030097222); 10/063,559 (U.S. Pub. No.
  • the present invention provides methods of treating a cancer patient comprising obtaining HRG expression information (e.g., the HRGs in Table 1 or Panels A through G), and recommending, prescribing or administering a treatment for the cancer patient based on the HRG expression.
  • HRG expression information e.g., the HRGs in Table 1 or Panels A through G
  • the invention provides a method of treating a cancer patient comprising:
  • a treatment is aggressive or not will generally depend on the cancer-type, the age of the patient, etc.
  • adjuvant chemotherapy is a common aggressive treatment given to complement the less aggressive standards of surgery and hormonal therapy.
  • Those skilled in the art are familiar with various other aggressive and less aggressive treatments for each type of cancer.
  • Aggressive treatments in colon cancer may include chemotherapy (e.g., FOLFOX, FOLFIRI, bevacizumab, cetuximab, etc.), radiotherapy, surgical resection (optionally accompanied by adjuvant chemotherapy), neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or radiotherapy, etc.
  • compositions useful in the above methods include, but are not limited to, nucleic acid probes hybridizing to an HRG (or to any nucleic acids encoded thereby or complementary thereto); nucleic acid primers and primer pairs suitable for amplifying all or a portion of an HRG or any nucleic acids encoded thereby; antibodies binding immunologically to a polypeptide encoded by an HRG; probe sets comprising a plurality of said nucleic acid probes, nucleic acid primers, antibodies, and/or polypeptides; microarrays comprising any of these; kits comprising any of these; etc.
  • the invention provides a probe comprising an isolated oligonucleotide capable of selectively hybridizing to at least one of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • probe and “oligonucleotide” (also “oligo”), when used in the context of nucleic acids, interchangeably refer to a relatively short nucleic acid fragment or sequence.
  • primers useful in the methods of the invention. “Primers” are probes capable, under the right conditions and with the right companion reagents, of selectively amplifying a target nucleic acid (e.g., a target gene). In the context of nucleic acids, “probe” is used herein to encompass “primer” since primers can generally also serve as probes.
  • the probe can generally be of any suitable size/length. In some embodiments the probe has a length from about 8 to 200, 15 to 150, 15 to 100, 15 to 75, 15 to 60, or 20 to 55 bases in length. They can be labeled with detectable markers with any suitable detection marker including but not limited to, radioactive isotopes, fluorophores, biotin, enzymes (e.g., alkaline phosphatase), enzyme substrates, ligands and antibodies, etc. See Jablonski et al., N UCLEIC A CIDS R ES . (1986) 14:6115-6128; Nguyen et al., B IOTECHNIQUES (1992) 13:116-123; Rigby et al., J. M OL . B IOL . (1977) 113:237-251. Indeed, probes may be modified in any conventional manner for various molecular biological applications. Techniques for producing and using such oligonucleotide probes are conventional in the art.
  • Probes according to the invention can be used in the hybridization/amplification/detection techniques discussed above (e.g., expression analysis).
  • some embodiments of the invention comprise probe sets suitable for use in a microarray in detecting, amplifying and/or quantitating a plurality of HRGs.
  • the probe sets have a certain proportion of their probes directed to HRGs—e.g., a probe set consisting of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, or 100% probes specific for HRGs.
  • the probe set comprises probes directed to at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80 or more, or all, of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • Such probe sets can be incorporated into high-density arrays comprising 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000, 300,000, 400,000, 500,000, 600,000, 700,000, 800,000, 900,000, or 1,000,000 or more different probes.
  • the probe sets comprise primers (e.g., primer pairs) for amplifying nucleic acids comprising at least a portion of one or more of the HRGs in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • kits for practicing the gene expression analysis methods or the prognosis methods of the present invention.
  • kits may also be incorporated into the systems of the invention.
  • the kit may include a carrier for the various components of the kit.
  • the carrier can be a container or support, in the form of, e.g., bag, box, tube, rack, and is optionally compartmentalized.
  • the carrier may define an enclosed confinement for safety purposes during shipment and storage.
  • the kit includes various components useful in determining the status of one or more HRGs and one or more housekeeping gene markers, using the above-discussed detection techniques.
  • the kit many include oligonucleotides specifically hybridizing under high stringency to RNA of the genes in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10.
  • kits comprises reagents (e.g., probes, primers, and or antibodies) for determining the expression level of a panel of genes, where said panel comprises at least 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 75%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99%, or 100% HRGs (e.g., HRGs in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10).
  • reagents e.g., probes, primers, and or antibodies
  • HRGs e.g., HRGs in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10
  • the kit consists of reagents (e.g., probes, primers, and or antibodies) for determining the expression level of no more than 2500 genes, wherein at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 120, 150, 200, 250, or more of these genes are HRGs (e.g., HRGs in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10).
  • reagents e.g., probes, primers, and or antibodies
  • HRGs e.g., HRGs in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10
  • the oligonucleotides in the detection kit can be labeled with any suitable detection marker including but not limited to, radioactive isotopes, fluorephores, biotin, enzymes (e.g., alkaline phosphatase), enzyme substrates, ligands and antibodies, etc. See Jablonski et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 14:6115-6128 (1986); Nguyen et al., Biotechniques, 13:116-123 (1992); Rigby et al., J. Mol. Biol., 113:237-251 (1977).
  • the oligonucleotides included in the kit are not labeled, and instead, one or more markers are provided in the kit so that users may label the oligonucleotides at the time of use.
  • the detection kit contains one or more antibodies selectively immunoreactive with one or more proteins encoded by one or more HRGs.
  • examples include antibodies that bind immunologically to a protein encoded by a gene in Tables 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 10. Methods for producing and using such antibodies are well-known in the art.
  • the detection kit of this invention preferably includes instructions on using the kit for practice the prognosis method of the present invention using human samples.
  • the prognostic value of the hypoxia signature in Table 2 was determined in colorectal cancer. Two public data sets of expression in colon cancer samples were examined.
  • the dataset GSE17538 comprises 28 stage I, 72 stage II, 76 stage III and 56 stage IV colorectal cancer patients.
  • Available outcome measures were cancer recurrence and disease-specific survival.
  • the prognostic value of hypoxia score was evaluated with Cox proportional hazard analysis with source of samples and stage as additional parameters. Both recurrence and disease-specific survival were used as outcome variable. Results for the univariate and multivariate analysis can be found below.
  • hypoxia score remains a highly significant predictor of outcome within the stage II patient set.
  • Disease-specific survival depending on stage is displayed below.
  • a Kaplan-Meier plot of disease-specific survival ( FIG. 2 ) in patients grouped by quartiles of the hypoxia score identifies a subgroup of patients with very low risk group and a subgroup with high risk group not previously seen using stage alone.
  • the prognostic value of an expression signature based on hypoxia treated genes was tested in FFPE derived RNA samples colorectal adenocarcinomas patients.
  • FFPE sections from 278 stage I and II colorectal cancer patients were provided by the Istituto Nazionale del Tumori in Milan. All cancers had adenocarcinoma histology. Patients who had received neoadjuvant treatment, were diagnosed as familial CRC or had higher staging were excluded. Adjuvant treatment by chemo- or radiation therapy was permitted. 43% of patients received either chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Outcome variables provided were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Recurrence and death rates in the full cohort were 13.5% and 15%, respectively. A significant number of deaths (57%) were not preceded by disease recurrence. A third outcome variable, death with disease (DSS) was defined as death with disease recurrence to approximate disease-specific survival. For DSS patients without recurrence at the time of death were censored at the time of death.
  • DSS death with disease
  • the sample cohort was split about equally between colon cancer (48%) and rectal cancer (44%) patients, with 8% of disease localized in the border area. A higher fraction of colon cancer patients was classified with T3 stage (84%) than the rectal cancer subset (69%). Treatment choices also varied significantly between colon and rectal cancer patients. Only 33% of colon cancer patients received some form of adjuvant treatment, yet 50% of rectal cancer patients were treated. Among patients with adjuvant radiation therapy, 90% had rectal cancer and less than 2% had colon cancer.
  • Hypoxia dependent targets were selected from a list of genes up-regulated in multiple microarray data sets measuring expression in cell culture cells as a function of oxygen pressure. From a total of 42 hypoxia genes, 28 were derived from cell culture experiments. A further 14 genes were selected for high correlation with a hypoxia signature in microarray data. Five housekeeping genes were added for normalization. GAPDH (assay id HS99999905_m1) is a technical control introduced by the manufacturer. Each gene was represented by one Taqman assay. HRGs are listed in Table 3 while housekeeping genes are listed in Table 4.
  • RNA expression was measured by quantitative PCR. Each sample RNA was converted to cDNA and pre-amplified with a pool of all 47 assays. The pre-amplified sample was diluted and re-amplified with individual assays on TLDA cards. Samples were run in duplicate. Replicates were initiated at the step of pre-amplification.
  • the mean of the housekeeping genes was used to estimate sample quality and to normalize the expression of the target genes. Good samples were defined by the housekeeper mean and used to determine the gene-specific means for centering.
  • a modified hypoxia score was calculated from the 15 genes with correlation above 0.6 in the full sample set.
  • the genes used in the modified hypoxia score are listed in Table 7.
  • the hypoxia score (HYP) was calculated for each sample as a base 2 logarithm of the centered copy number mean for the 15 genes that correlated most strongly with the mean.
  • the probability of survival of patients with low and high HYP scores was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
  • the colon cancer patient cohort was separated into a low risk group with HYP scores below the mean, and a high risk group with HYP scores above the mean.
  • the patient group with the lower HYP scores had longer progression-free survival ( FIG. 7 ).
  • the prognostic value of an expression signature based on hypoxia treated genes was tested in FFPE derived RNA samples from lung adenocarcinoma patients.
  • 136 resectable, non-small cell lung cancer patients were selected from a cohort at MDA Cancer Center with at least five year follow-up period. The patients had be diagnosed with pathological stage IA, IB, IIA, or IIB and have adenocarcinoma histology. Patients who had received neoadjuvant treatment were excluded. Adjuvant treatment by chemo- or radiation therapy was permitted. Outcome variables included disease-free recurrence (DFS), overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). DSS was defined as death preceded by a recurrence event. Deaths not preceded by disease recurrence were censored at the time of death.
  • DSS disease-free recurrence
  • OS overall survival
  • DSS disease-specific survival
  • HRGs were selected from a list of genes upregulated in multiple microarray data sets measuring expression in cell culture cells as a function of oxygen pressure. From a total of 42 hypoxia genes, 28 were derived from cell culture experiments. A further 14 genes were selected for high correlation with a hypoxia signature in microarray data. Five housekeeping genes were added for normalization. GAPDH is a technical control introduced by the manufacturer. Each gene was represented by one Taqman assay. HRGs are listed in Table 3 above while housekeeping genes are listed in Table 4 above.
  • RNA expression was measured by quantitative PCR. Each sample RNA was converted to cDNA and pre-amplified with a pool of all 47 assays. The pre-amplified sample was diluted and re-amplified with individual assays on TLDA cards. Samples were run in duplicate. Replicates were initiated at the step of pre-amplification.
  • the mean of the housekeeping genes was used to estimate sample quality and to normalize the expression of the target genes.
  • Good samples defined as samples with a housekeeper mean of less than 21.5Ct, were used to determine the means for centering.
  • a modified hypoxia score was calculated from the 16 genes with correlation to the hypoxia mean of at least 0.61.
  • the genes used in the modified hypoxia score are listed in Table 10.
  • the hypoxia score (HYP) was calculated for each sample as a base 2 logarithm of the centered copy number mean for the 16 genes that correlated most strongly with the mean.

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US20140134166A1 (en) 2014-05-15
WO2011097509A3 (fr) 2011-12-08
US20140170139A1 (en) 2014-06-19

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